Peamenüü

The Riigikogu is the parliament of Estonia. Its 101 members are elected at general elections for a term of four years. The Riigikogu passes laws and resolutions, exercises parliamentary supervision and ratifies international agreements.

The Riigikogu has 11 standing commitees and 6 select committees. Commitees of investigation and study committees are formed to investigate issues of public interest or problems of significant imprtance.

The Prime Minister explained that, at the meeting of the Government on 5 July, the Ministry of Finance had submitted four variants for amending the enterprise tax system, based on an analysis prepared at the Ministry. The enterprise tax system with taxation on a yearly basis which favoured investments was selected from among the variants proposed at the meeting, and the task of preparing the necessary amendments to the Income Tax Act was assigned to the Ministry of Finance. Ansip noted: “As matters stand, an enterprise tax is currently applied in Estonia which distinguishes merely by the moment of taxation: the time of profit distribution and not the time of profit generation. Therefore, it is incorrect to talk about establishing of corporation tax.” The abovementioned amendments to the Income Tax Act are going to enter into force on 1 January 2009, that is, in the period following the termination of the transition period which was granted on the accession to the European Union, said the Prime Minister.

Ansip stressed that the amendments which are being prepared are only intended for amending the procedure for taxation and not for establishing of a new tax. The major revisions in comparison to the Income Tax Act currently in force are the transition to taxation on a yearly basis along with the accompanying obligation of making advance payments, as well as certain modifications regarding the tax base of enterprises. “The most distinctive feature of the income tax system of Estonia, tax exemption for reinvested profit of enterprises, is going to be retained, though,” Ansip asserted.

The Prime Minister also replied to the interpellation concerning the resolution of the applications of persons reclaiming property owned by persons resettled to Germany (No 23), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Helle Kalda, Marika Tuus and Heimar Lenk on 25 October.

The Minister of Social Affairs Maret Maripuu answered the interpellation concerning the expression of no confidence in the rural municipality mayor on parental leave (No 24), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kadri Must, Arvo Sarapuu, Mailis Reps, Kalle Laanet, Vilja Savisaar and Olga Sõtnik on 6 November, and the interpellation concerning the use of the funds of the EU Structural Funds for investments in hospitals (No 25), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Vilja Savisaar, Jaak Aab and Marika Tuus on 7 November.